Joy was doing a load of washing before going shopping with her sister in Northern NSW, when she suddenly fell to the floor. Joy felt disorientated, paralysed down one side of her body and had slurred speech.
Thankfully Joy’s sister found her and immediately called an ambulance.
Joy was assessed, stabilised and taken to the Lismore Base Hospital. The ambulance crew and hospital staff believed Joy had suffered a stroke.
NSW Telestroke Service neurologist Dr Tim Ang, located at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, worked with local clinicians to assess Joy and confirm the stroke. Joy received clot-busting medicine at Lismore Base Hospital before being transferred to Gold Coast University Hospital for a clot removal procedure.
By the next morning, Joy’s condition had returned to normal and she was kept in hospital for observation.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be alive. I think Telestroke is absolutely brilliant and I will be telling a lot of people about it.
Joy is back to walking her dog and doing almost everything she did before the stroke. “Without Telestroke I could potentially have permanent damage or even be dead,” she said.
Stroke is a time-critical medical emergency. A stroke kills up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute and time saved in accessing stroke treatment results in brain power saved.
“Telestroke is amazing, especially for regional and remote communities,” says Joy.
More about stroke
Stroke is an emergency. If you think you are having a stroke, call 000.
The F.A.S.T. test as an easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke. Using the F.A.S.T. test involves asking these simple questions:
- Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
- Arms Can they lift both arms?
- Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
- Time Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.